EXPN.com - Story

Monday, September 29

Vans Triple Crown Makes Its Final Stop

By George Crosland
EXPN.com

The Street course was a little smaller than last year, but most of the skaters seemed to like it better.

Watching the Street comp, I had know idea who would win. It coulda been any one of five or so guys. Winner Carlos de Andrade never bailed, and most guys bailed in their runs.

Street Best Trick was held in a jam fashion, where the skaters just drop in when they please. It was chaos. So much fun to watch, but it beats the crap out of the skaters.

Andy Mac was the Vert overall champ and the overall Triple Crown champ. He takes home the cash ... and the new Ford Ranger.

Ryan Sheckler was favored to win the Vans Triple Crown overall, but Andy Mac was hot on his heels and finished well enough in Vert to overtake Sheckler for the overall title and the Ford Ranger.

The women's Street comp took place on Friday. Even for a weekday, there was an alright crowd. Vanessa Torres rips better than most dudes. Lyn-Z Adams is hot on her tail in the skills department. Once she gains some power in her skating, look out!

The vert ramp was the same ramp used at the Gravity Games and it was shared by the skaters and bikers.

The men's Vert comp was one of the best I have ever seen. The energy level was so high. The stands were packed and many of the other athletes stayed to watch. Andy Mac had busted ribs, Sandro was hurt, Bob could barely walk and Jake had bruised heels, but they all freakin' ripped. You should be bummed if you missed it.

Lincoln Ueda injured his leg and had to be carried off the ramp. Anthony Furlong knocked himself out and smashed his face; he went to the e-room.

For the Encyclopedia Britannica version of what happened and a list of future contests, check out www.wcsk8.com

Bob Burnquist was so injured, he had difficulty walking. He did not, apparently, have trouble winning the entire competition. Channel ollie to coping scratcher -- hurt or not, Bob makes everything look good.

CARLOS DE ANDRADE ... on what to do with the $18,500.

EXPN: What are you going to do with all the cash?
Andrade: I am trying to save money for when I am done skating.

That's smart.
Yeah. I might buy a house. I already got one house, so I might try to buy another.

You don't have a house here?
No, I got a house in Brazil but I want to buy one in California.

Where you nervous today?
When I took my second run, I was pretty confident. I didn't know I was going to take first, you know? I was watching everyone else skate and they would miss a trick or two, so I thought top five for sure.

Which country is better for skating, the U.S. or Brazil?
There is definitely more stuff to skate here. I like Brazil a lot, but the U.S. is better to skate.

How was the course today?
It was all right. I like it better than last time. A lot of big rails and small stuff, like hips, the kind of stuff I skate.

ANDY MAC ... on his inspirational shoot with McDonald's.

EXPN: What inspired you to do a triple flip indy?
Andy Mac: Funny you should ask. I was shooting a McDonald's commercial with Tony Hawk in Venice Beach. I just brought my street board because I thought we would just be skating on the boardwalk. I show up and half the Huckjam ramp was there. I was like, "Whoa, we're skating vert!?" So I had to ride my street board on vert and it's got smaller wheels. It's a thinner board, so it flips super easy like when we used to ride 7.5-inch boards in the early 90's. Just dorking around, I was like, "Look how easy this flips and I made my first double flip indy. So I started to try triples. I didn't make one there, but thought I could."

So was today the first time you landed one?
Yeah.

What are you going to do with your new Ford Ranger?
Give it to my wife.

VANESSA TORRES ... on the evolution of her sport.

EXPN: Congratulations on your big win today. How did you get so damn good?
Torres: Mmm, I don't know, it has a lot to do with inspiration from friends, positivity and family in my life. I'm really devoted to what I do. I am really devoted to skateboarding, that's all I do. I eat and sleep skateboarding. I skate every day and that's gotten me where I am today, all that practice.

What motivated you to get into contest skating?
Just seeing all the chicks rip before I go out. I don't come to skate and win money. I come to skate because I don't see the girls all the time because they come from different areas of the world. If the judges like my run and they like the way I skate and they want to give me money, well go ahead.

Is there enough support for women's skateboarding?
It gets better each year. I would like to see it climb a little higher. It's good the Van's Triple Crown and the Bostick's (World Cup Skate) hold these events every year. It's good coverage for us. The more people show up to watch us skate, the more girls will see us and think, hmm, maybe I want to do this. We need more girls!

Do you think women's skateboarding is growing?
Definitely. Girls are developing more style, more skills.

How were the X Games?
I was pretty psyched to win the X Games when they turned it into a contest (instead of a demo like originally planned). That was one of the biggest inspirations in my life, winning a gold medal. I will do any contests, but the big contests are always the good ones.

Related Photos:
XBOX World Champs of Skateboarding

--------------------------- ALSO SEE

XBOX World Championships - Results
RESULTS

Andy Mac Wins Vans Triple Crown Overall
Wins Ford Ranger FX4

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